A New Beginning (Sequel to A Different Beginning)

Chapter Thirteen - Rising from the Ashes

Harry knocked on the door of the Head Girl's room the next morning. He hadn't really heard much from Hermione in the last few days, other than some polite conversation.

"She's closing herself up, Harry," Ginny murmured mentally from beside him. "We have to pull her out of this rut she's placed herself into. We have to do it soon. We are not the only ones worried about her either. Mum and Dad are both worried, and since she won't open up to them ..."

"I know, Ginny." Harry banged on the door a bit harder but still they got no answer, so he just pushed it open.

Hermione was lying on her bed, her textbooks open around her and busily scratching with her quill. The sight shocked Harry. It was the first time he had seen her doing any type of homework since Ron had been captured. She looked up at them and smiled.

"Oh, hi, you two, I didn't even hear you knocking."

Ginny stepped forward and took Harry's hand in hers, the Gryffindor ring she wore folding around her finger when she moved (she had moved it to her middle finger for the time being). "Hermione, you're up and doing homework?"

Hermione nodded. "I know, it seems like the right thing to do. I know I haven't been much for company or anything lately, and well I don't ... this makes it go away, at least for a little while."

"Yeah, I suppose it would," Harry murmured. "Well, Gin I are heading out to the courtyard. We were wondering if maybe you wanted to come. There's a huge snowball fight going on."

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, Colin started it. I guess he threw a snowball at Dee, but he missed and it hit Tony and well, it started from there. There's about twenty people involved. It looks like a lot of fun."

Hermione shook her head. "No, thank you. I'll just stay here. I do, after all, have a great deal of work to be catching up on."

Ginny nodded. "Well, if you're sure. But if you need anything then -"

"I know where to find you," she finished.

"Right," Harry replied.

Hermione watched the two of them leave. As soon as the door shut behind them, she stopped her charade. She was tired of everyone worrying about her. She wasn't going to be fine until Ron was home. She just wished everyone else would realize that!

The day before, she had actually broken down and written to her parents, asking for ideas of how to dull the grief. Naturally, they hadn't helped at all. She had no idea what she had been expecting from them. She unfolded the letter she had received from them and read it again, tears in her eyes.

Dear Hermione,

We are very sorry to hear about your friend Von. He was important to you. You shouldn't pin your hopes on him coming back, as this evil wizard doesn't sound like the type to let him escape death. I'm sorry for being so blunt, dear, but if you expect the worse it's better in the end.

We wanted to remind you that you can't come home for Christmas this year either, as your father and I are going on a cruise in the Bahamas. We won't be home until a few days after New Year's. I'm sure we'll see you around Easter time, though.

Hope school is going well.

Also, Merry Christmas.

Love,
Mum and Dad

She refolded the letter and wiped the tears from her eyes. She wasn't sure why she was so upset over it. She had known that they weren't going to be any help, but it still hurt. They knew nothing about her life and it hurt her. It always hurt her.

Hermione slid off the bed and into Ron's room. She made herself comfortable on his bed, snuggling close with one of his pillows. His scent was no longer there, but oh, how she had wanted it to be. She wanted to smell him, and touch him, and make love to him. She wanted for her parents to meet him and love him, and hug her and tell her how much they loved her. She wanted a family.

When the tears started to fall, she cuddled the pillow closer and just let them fall.

*******

Harry stood outside of Hermione's door later that evening. She hadn't taken them up on the invitation to join in on the snowball fight. It had been three hours of fun in the snow. Ginny had asked him to go check up on Hermione, as she went to go shower and change. He had jumped into a quick shower, and now stood outside of Hermione's door.

Hermione didn't answer though, so he pushed the door open, sighing when he saw the bed empty. Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and headed into Ron's room. Hermione was cuddled in Ron's bed, wearing his old Canon's jersey. She was sleeping soundly and her face was tear-stained.

Harry sighed and headed over to the bed, climbing in next to her. He pulled her a bit closer to him and kissed her forehead. She stirred and her hands fisted in his shirt.

"Harry, I miss him."

Harry took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "I know. I miss him too. But you can't go on like this. I left it alone at first, I thought it was alright because I felt the pain too, but it's not. You're hurting yourself and it's unhealthy. You're not sleeping properly or eating properly. You're barely even coming to classes, let alone doing your homework. It's not good for you. How do you think Ron's going to react when he comes home and he sees you like this, Hermione? When he comes home, he's going to want you healthy, and happy, and beautiful ... not making yourself ill."

Hermione sat up, her eyes flashing angrily. "I am not making myself ill! I'm sorry if you think my pain is too much for you! I'm sorry if you don't miss Ron the way I do! I need him, Harry! I need him so much that I can't function! How would you react if it was Ginny that was missing, and we had no idea and no way of getting her back? Do you mean to tell me that you wouldn't move heaven and hell to bring her back? But Ron, Ron has been in this hell for six weeks, Harry! Six weeks! Who knows what kind of torture he's going through! Who knows what it's doing to him! Yet you've done nothing! Everyone is doing nothing! I'm sorry that my pain isn't contributing to the 'what's right' category! No one understands! No one can help me! My parents don't even-"

She broke off, tears falling from her eyes and Harry pulled her into his arms. "Hermione, that's not true and you know it. Did you tell your parents Ron was missing?"

She nodded, the tears still falling. "They called him Von, and then told me I can't go home for Christmas because they're going on a cruise. Have they ever loved me, Harry? Even just a little bit?"

Harry ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it from her face. "They do love you, but they don't know how to express it. Besides, you'll be with your real family at Christmas. Ron will be there too, right by your side."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do, because I'm going to make sure of it. But you have to do something for me."

Hermione shook her head. "I won't act like nothing has happened, Harry, that nothing is wrong!"

"I'm not asking you to! I'm asking that you stop wallowing. It's not helping anyone, and it's only hurting you more. I'm asking that you start eating regular meals, that you come to class, and get back in the groove of things. I'm demanding that you do it, so that when Ron comes home, he knows he has someone to depend on, not someone who's going to fall apart. I demand that you show me that brave, beautiful, intelligent woman that makes Ron go weak in the knees and give in to everything you want. I demand that you bring that girl back because, Merlin knows, Ginny and I miss you. I demand that you bring her back, because we need you. Ron needs you. I need my best friend back. Both of them."

Hermione's eyes met his. "I don't know if I can."

Harry smiled at her. "You can. I know you can. I'm not worried about that. You can do anything you put your mind to, Hermione. I want you to start proving it to me now, alright?"

She nodded, her face still a bit tear-streaked. "I'll try."

Harry grinned and pulled her close for a long hug. "Good. Now why don't you bring some of your homework and come on down into the common room with me? Ginny and I plan on getting some of our homework done. We can all keep each other company."

Hermione smiled at him. "Alright. That sounds ... alright."

Harry stood up from the bed and headed to the door. He turned to glance at his friend once more, but this time he knew he had hit a nerve. She was ready to start being herself again but she was scared to do it. He just hoped that he had gotten through to her.

*********

Luna sat alone in her dorm room staring down at her books. She hadn't managed to get much of her essay written, but she couldn't seem to care much at the moment. She wasn't sure exactly what she wanted, but she felt like she needed something that wasn't here. She wondered if maybe Neville was busy.

No! She yelled angrily to herself. She was getting tired of always being the one to seek him out. Neville rarely sought her out on his own unless they had plans. He was always busy with something or another, and she had never realized how much it hurt, until recently.

She had been walking outside, coming back from Herbology and she had walked right past Neville. He hadn't said a word to her, or even acknowledged her presence. It had hurt. She had said hello, and he turned and smiled, but that was it. It was stupid, she was being stupid. But lately she just felt like she didn't mean as much to Neville as he did to her.

Luna sighed and angrily slammed her textbook shut as her dormitory door opened. She didn't even bother looking up to see who it was. All of her roommates bothered her.

"Luna?" Chrissy asked, pushing back the bed curtains.

Luna gave her a bored and dreamy look. "Can I help you?"

"Your boyfriend is outside of the portrait hole and he won't go away."

"He is?"

Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Well, I just said he was, didn't I?"

Luna watched her leave the room before she jumped to her feet and headed downstairs. Neville had really sought her out, on his own? She headed out the portrait hole and the hallway was empty. Her face fell.

It had been a joke, of course it had been. Her roommates had been playing cruel jokes on her since the first week of first year. She made a growling noise in her throat and turned around, only to stop in her tracks.

Neville was leaning against the wall with some sunflowers clutched in his hands. "Hey Luna."

She smiled at him. "Hi, what are you doing here?"

Neville stepped forward and handed her the flowers. "I've missed you. I brought these for you, as an apology."

"An apology?" Luna asked.

He nodded. "I don't know what I did to be honest, but you've been avoiding me. You haven't come to see him that much in the last two weeks and ... I miss you. I'm sorry for whatever I did to annoy you, I didn't mean it."

Luna smiled. "So you came here?"

"Well, yeah, that's where you were."

She grinned. "You should do that more often."

Neville gave her a puzzled look. "Do what?"

"Seek me out. You never do, you know, it's always me seeking you out and I got tired of it."

"What do you mean?" Neville asked. "Luna, I seek you out all the time."

She shook her head. "No, you don't. It's always me who comes to your table after meals; me who meets you before classes; me who waits for you after class. I got tired of being the one who always makes the effort."

Neville shook his head. "I've never asked you to do all of those things. As for meal times, I eat more than you so you're always finished first. But the rest ... Luna, I'll meet you anywhere you want, anytime. I love you."

Luna's head whipped up quickly and she searched his face. "You what?"

Neville shrugged and shuffled his feet a bit. "I love you. I only want you to be happy."

Luna grinned and jumped into his arms. "I love you, too." Then she silenced him with a kiss.

*********

Ron was pacing around the cell, trying to find a weak point or some type of weak area that he could access. It had been four days since he had told Mira that they needed to escape. The problem was, he had no idea how to go about escaping.

Voldemort had left them alone lately, as he was busy doing something that involved Mira, working something out. However, one of his Death Eaters had come in the day before and taken the liberty of continuing the torturing. Ron had burn marks across his chest and upper arms, not to mention the shallow cuts and bruises that still resided from the dagger and the hot pokers. He wrapped his shirt around him a bit more, doing up the buttons so that no one would see the damage. He reached forward and pushed on one of the stones that looked a bit out of place.

It moved forward about an inch, but nothing else happened.

He swore under his breath. Mira came up next to him. "That is not the way out."

"What is the way out, Mira? We've been looking all over the place. I don't know where else to look. We have got to get out of this cell."

She nodded. "You said you have to communicate with your friends."

"Well, yeah, I mean they could help me ... but I don't have any way of doing that."

Mira tilted her head as she glanced at him. "Yes, you do. You're the phoenix."

"What does that mean exactly?" Ron asked. "I'm the phoenix?"

Mira smiled. "Yes. This is your transformation, part of the cycle, something that was destined to be. You are reborn here, during your suffering. It is here that you will discover your true potential. Part of that has come about already, has it not?"

Ron shook his head. "You sound so old and wise for a seven-year-old. What do you mean by my potential?"

"You blocked the bad man from your mind. You don't know how you did it, but you did. Your power is growing."

"How do you know this?"

Mira shrugged. "I'm not sure. Sometimes I dream it, sometimes it's just a feeling I have, strong in my heart. It tells me what has happened, or what will happen, or what is happening. I only listen, and I know."

Ron nodded. "Do you know why I could block Voldemort from my mind?"

"Your power is growing. You can do so much more than that."

"Like what? I don't have any type of special powers."

Mira smiled, gesturing him to bend down. Once he was kneeling in front of her, she placed her hands on the side of his head. "Yes, you do." Her head fell back and her eyes turned blacker than night. Ron could feel her hands burning hot against his skin and wondered what she was doing.

"Mira?"

"I can feel it, the power inside of you. It wants to come out. It wants to scream and burn its way into existence."

"How do I make it come out?"

Mira's eyes turned even darker, a golden glow piercing through them. "I know how." She ran one finger over the shape of his face before she replaced her hands on the sides of his head. Then, she started speaking in a dark, older voice that sent chills down Ron's spine. "The phoenix is here waiting for his power. He needs to understand the forces within him, the potential he seeks. He needs - oh!" Her head fell back. When she spoke again it was no longer in a language in he could understand.

When she was finished he felt a flash skip through his body like a new understanding, the words she had just spoken echoed in his mind. He knew it had been Romanian, he wondered how he knew what it meant. Give him the power he desires. He wishes to seek out his potential. The power of his mind is great. To use it he must communicate with his friends. As the phoenix, it is he who wishes to see the truth, to understand the transformation of ash to flame. It is he, as the phoenix, who seeks the truth and the knowledge that lies in his heart. Open the power deep inside and let the power escape. It is only with the power that he can become the phoenix, the one needed in the final battle ahead. Allow it out! Allow it to consume him! Allow him to accept it! Give the phoenix what it desires!

She let go of him and collapsed into his lap, her power draining. "Do you feel it?"

"I feel different," Ron murmured. "What did you do?"

"I gave you the push you needed to understand your power." She took his hand in hers and placed it over his head. "You know where we are. You know the location. Tell them."

"Tell who?" Ron asked.

Mira smiled. "Your friends." She rubbed her hand over his forehead and Ron jolted.

He felt like his entire body was rushing through a long golden tunnel, he stopped at the sight of Harry in his mind. He was sitting on the chesterfield in the common room with one arm around Ginny, the other around Hermione. He could see that they were talking but he couldn't hear them.

But he could hear Mira.

"Tell them where you are. They can hear you."

"How?"

"It's one of the powers I have and I passed it to you, just for this moment. Use it."

Ron nodded and when he spoke, it felt like he hadn't spoken in weeks. The feeling came deep in his gut and as he watched his friends sit there, he knew, he was going to get out of here alive, and Mira was coming with him.

Meanwhile in the Gryffindor common room ...

Harry listened to the meaningless girl talk going back forth between Ginny and Hermione, as he closed his eyes. He was very tired and he just wanted to sleep, but at the same time, he was just so comfortable where he was. He could feel something pushing on his mind and he wasn't sure what it was. He frowned for a moment, and then the words burst through him and he gasped.

Harry, I'm at the Riddle House, locked in the dungeon, and I've got Mira. Voldemort's planning something horrible for her, come quickly! It's Ron, I swear ... how else would I know that I never want to have any more disturbing conversations about your sex life with my sister? Come quickly.

Harry bolted upwards at those words as Hermione and Ginny stared at him in surprise.

"Harry, what is it?" Ginny asked.

Harry smiled. "I just got a message from Ron."

Hermione stood up. "What?"

He nodded. "I don't know how he did, but he said he's with Mira so maybe she ... he's at the Riddle House. I'm going to see Dumbledore, right now."

"We're coming with you," Ginny said, jumping to her feet.

He smiled. "I figured as much."

"How do you know it was him?" Hermione asked, her hands shaking.

Harry reached forward and pulled her into a hug. "I know it. He brought up a memory the two of us share. Now let's go."

Back in the dungeon ...

Ron fell face down, catching himself with his hands.

Mira smiled. "They're coming?"

Ron nodded. "They're coming. He knows, and they're coming."

Mira smiled and cuddled into him. "I'm glad I let you borrow my power."

Ron smiled. "Me too. Thanks."

He pulled her closer when he heard a bang from outside of the door. He just hoped that they came quickly.

*********

Lavender was straddling Seamus on his bed in his dormitory. They had been snogging intensely for the last few hours and she still wanted to touch. Her hands ran up and down his chest as his mouth met hers. It felt so wonderful to feel him close and there with her. She moved into him a bit more, moaning when his lips moved to her neck.

Seamus was on fire. She drove him insane most of the time. Lavender had this way of just sinking into him and making him want, feel, and ache all over. He wanted her so much, and he knew that she didn't understand the good of it. He would make her see it one day. He would show her how wonderful it could be ... but until that time came, he was going to have to suffer at the feel of her hands and lips.

He slid his hands up the back of her uniform shirt and she grinned against his mouth. She always did love his hands on her bare back, on her skin. She ached for more and he knew it, but he didn't know how to make her see that. He rolled over and pinned her down beneath him, bringing his lips to her neck.

Lavender sighed into him, holding his head to her neck as he planted tiny kisses along her collarbone. She loved these moments. These moments when he lost himself kissing her, when she lost herself in his lips and hands. Seamus was such a wonderful kisser. When she felt his lips hit her stomach she gasped in surprise. He had undone all of the buttons and spread her shirt open, feasting on her bare skin. She wanted to tell him to stop, that he was moving too fast, that she wasn't ready yet ... but it felt so good.

Seamus wasn't sure what had possessed him to undo her shirt, except that he was aching. She wasn't complaining, though, so that was a good sign. He used his thumb and forefinger to flip open the front clasp of her bra. When his lips met the newly exposed skin, Lavender moaned and her head fell back on the bed. He devoured her, using his mouth on every inch of her torso to bring her pleasure.

Merlin, this feels amazing, she murmured to herself. She had never been so exposed before anyone before. She felt his hand slide down her side and under her kilt, to rest on her thigh. She panicked.

The next thing she knew she was shoving at Seamus, pulling her shirt tight, and scrambling to her feet. "Seamus, no, I ... stop."

Seamus sat up, brushing his hair from his eyes. "What's wrong, Lavender? Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I ... you're going too fast ... we ... we can't ... no."

Seamus stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We were just kissing."

Lavender shook her head. "That was more then just kissing, Seamus Patrick Finnegan, and you know it!"

He grinned and her knees went weak, but she ignored them. He opened her shirt again and slid his hands up to cup her. "It's a bit more, yes, but it's not anything else. I just wanted to give you pleasure, and I was succeeding. You were enjoying yourself."

"Seamus, I don't want to have sex."

He nodded. "I know that and I'm not pressuring you into that. I'm the only one suffering by doing this. I love you, Lavender! I'm not going to pressure you into anything that you don't want. I'm sorry if I was out of line tonight. I just wanted to touch you."

Lavender nodded, trying to ignore the wonderful feeling of his hands on her. "Well, I ... you really weren't trying anything?"

He grinned. "Oh I was, completely, just not what you think. I respect your wishes, love."

"Good." She kissed him softly. "I love you."

Seamus nodded. "I love you, too. Which is why I'm thinking this is the right time for this. I was going to wait until Christmas, but it's close enough I think."

She glanced at him quizzically. "What?"

Seamus fell down to one knee and he pulled a tiny box from his pocket. "Will you marry me?"

Lavender gasped as he opened the lid of the box. Inside was a beautiful, classic ring with a simple square-cut diamond. "You want ... really?"

"Would I be doing this if I didn't?"

She grinned and threw herself into his arms, kissing him deeply. "Yes! I love you!"

Seamus lost himself in the kiss for a moment before he slipped the ring on her hand. "Good. I love you, too."

The dormitory door flew open and Dean hurried inside. Lavender yanked her top closed once more.

"Dean, mate what's up?"

Dean grinned. "They know where Ron is. Come on, there's been an emergency Order meeting called. Plans for rescuing him are going to be made."

Seamus grinned. "That's brilliant, we'll be right there."

Dean nodded and closed the door behind him.

Seamus helped Lavender button up her shirt. "It's about damn time they found Ron."

She smiled. "Yeah, it is. Let's go see if we can help."

Seamus took her hand in his as they headed towards the Room of Requirement, as he grinned. This day was turning out to be a really great one.

*******

Harry watched carefully as the Order members filed into the Room of Requirement, getting ready for the meeting. He still couldn't believe that they were going to rescue Ron. Ron was alive. The fear that he wasn't had been eating at Harry for a while now, but he had been afraid to give into it. He glanced up at Dumbledore when he stepped into the room.

"Good evening everyone. I have some news that will make almost everyone here smile. Harry has been contacted by Mr. Weasley. We know that he has Mira and has been keeping her as safe as possible. We also know that they are being held in the dungeons of the Riddle Mansion, in Little Hangleton. It is a place that, I am sad to say, I never predicted. We need to head in there and get them both out."

Harry stood up now. "Sir, I want to go in."

James nodded. "It's fine with me, Albus."

Dumbledore nodded. "I need a team put together. I don't know how many Death Eaters he has there with him, but we need to be prepared for anything. James, I'll leave it to you then to choose the team. Kingsley can help you plan it out."

Kingsley nodded as he stood up. "We'll take care of it, Albus. It's going to be a rescue mission, not an all out attack. We can't risk Voldemort taking them away or killing them."

"I agree," James replied. "Bill, Charlie, Arthur - I'm betting you want in?"

Fred and George stood up as well. "So do we."

"Good. Viktor, we could use your expertise on this one as well?" James replied.

Viktor squeezed his wife's hand gently and he nodded. "I vould be honoured to help rescue Mr. Veasley."

James smiled. "Alright, we're going to put together a plan and go in first thing in the morning. As King said, it's a rescue mission not an attack. Only attack those you must, get them out of the way so we can get past them. We can't risk losing anyone else. Hermione, Ginny, are you two in?"

Ginny grinned. "I'd like to see you stop us."

James laughed. "Good. What do you think, King, is that enough people?"

King nodded. "It's about as best as we're going to get. Matata and Gotto can join in, as well. The more experienced Aurors we have the better. Leila?"

Leila stepped up beside him and took his hand in hers. "I'm in."

Seamus and Dean stepped forward. "We'd like to help too, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded. "They'd be assets, Da."

James nodded. "Good, the more people the better. Alright then, so who has an idea for a plan of attack?"